Excavating and ditching machine.



PATENTED MAY 8, 1906.

J. K. SWEENY.

EXGAVATING AND DITGHI-NG MACHINE.

APILIOATION FILED DEO. 29`v 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A/j Y www2/.mao

J.'K.SWEENY. BXCAVATING AND DITGHING MACHINE.

PATENTED MAY 8, 1906.

J. K. SWEENY. lEXCAVA'IING AND DITCHING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED DEO.29.1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Wilma/ww I I /C No. 820,152. n PATENTED MAY 8, 1906.

J. KLSWEENY. EXMVALING AND DITYGHING MACHINE;

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 2Q, 19.05.

UNITED STATES PATErrr orrion.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented may s, 1906.

Application iiled December 29,1905. Serial No. 298,811.

Tn all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES K. SWEENY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pueblo, in the county of Pueblo and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Excavating and Ditchlng Machines, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to excavating and ditching machines; and it consistsin an apparatus in which excavating means are carried upon a wheel-supported frame and are adjustable and operated to eect the various operations required in excavating and ditching, as fully set forth hereinafter and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a ditchingmachine embodying my improvement; Fig. 2, a plan; Fig. 3, a rear elevation; Fig. 4, a longitudinal sectional elevation of part of the apparatus; Fig. 5, a perspective view illustrating the different forms' of excavatingbuckets.

There. is arunning-gear frame A, to which the main frame B, supported by wheels 8 9, is pivoted at a point a: in such position that the weight of t e complete machine will be practically uniformly distributed fore and aft of said point, so that the frame B may be tilted upon its ivot by the application of comparatively ittle -force. T ese frames may be constructed in any suitable manner; but, as shown, the frame A has a bolster 2, through which extends the king-bolt 3 downward through the rear axle 4, and the bolster 2, is connected to the frontaxle 5 by perches or b ars 6, and a draw-bar 7 also extends from lthe front axle back and below the rear axlev 5 in position to receive the lower end of the king-bolt 3. The axle 4 can therefore swing 'about the kingibolt to any desired position t guide the mac `Any suitable means m he employed. for

a swinging the rear axle 4 fiom an operatingv handle or wheel 11. As shown, the said handle or wheel is upon a shaft 110, turning in bearings upon theframe A and carrying at its lower end a pinion 12, which engages a toothed arc 13, carried by arms 14, extending forward from the rear axle.

The forward Wheels 9 constitute the driving-wheels and are provided with spur-gears 15, and, as shown, the axle 5 is connected to the frame B, the frame A being pivoted to the rear of the said axle.

The frame B has longitudinal stringere or beams 16 connected at suitable intervals by cross-bars and resting on subbeams 116 and supports the cross-beams 17 18 19, extending laterally to any desired length, the beams 18 19 supporting standards 21, properly trussed and connected, and to the forward part of the frame B is connected an inclined excavatorframe C, which is bolted at the top to the front standards :21 and also to the crossbeams 17 and 18 and extends downward in front of the machine to a short distance from the ground and supports the different shafts 22 23 24 of an endless-chain and bucket excavator D of any suitable construction and also the shafts of idler-rollers 101, that support the endless chains in their upward course with their loads of material.

Any suitable'means may be employed for tilting the main frame and holding it in position. As shown, there are two screws 90 91, each having a spherical lower end to vfit a socket 92, carried by the bolster 2, so that the screws can turn in said sockets, but are retained in connection with the bolster. Each screw passes through a nut 93 upon the frame B. Preferably the nuts are pivoted to the frame by being hung to a cross-bar 94, and at the upper ends At-he screws have s rocket-wheels 95, receiving a sprocketchain 96, which compels them to turn together, either screw being turned h means of a hand-wheelV 97, by means-of w 'ch the operator can readily tilt the main frame to any desired position, in which it will then be `firmly held.

The frame B carries a motor E of any suitable character, referably a gas-engine, the shaft of which as a band-pulley 26, from which a belt 27 passes to a pulley 28 upon a shaft 29, supported by suitable standards of "the frame B, and this shaft through suitable IOO First, the wheels 9 are driven at the proper movement to propel the machine in traveling from place to place; second, the said wheels 9 are driven at a slower movement in order to feed the machine forward in proportion as the excavation proceeds. I therefore have twoindependent means or gears between the shaft 29 and the wheels 9, and I also prefer to so construct these connections that each of the wheels 9 may be driven independently from the shaft 29.

The movement to drive the wheels 9 in excavatin is effected as follows: There is upon the sha 29 a transmission-gear F, the construction of which need not be shown, as it is a casing with the usual gearing and a lever L5 and cther'me'ans of adjustment whereby different speeds may be secured, and with the driven member ofthe transmissionear is connected a cone-pulley 31, from w lch a belt 32 passes to a cone-pulley 33 upon the shaft 34 below the stringers or beams 16, and

a reduced speed is transmitted throu h spurgears .from the shaft 34 to parallels afts 35 36 37 and to the spur-gears 15 on the wheels 9. In order that each wheel 9 may be driven independently, there may be two clutches 38 39 in Athe line of gearing. One member of each clutch is a pinion gearing with the ear on the shaft 37 and turns loosely on the s aft 36, while the other member slides on the shaft under the action of a lever 40 or 41, but

turns with the shaft, so that by moving the sliding member into engagement with the pinion member the latter may be driven from the shaft, so as to drive its connected shaft 37 and gear 15. The line of ears between the driving-shaft 29 and the lving-wheels 9 is so proportioned as to secure the desired speed, which, however, may be varied within certain limits byshifting the belt onto different pulleys of the reverse cone-pulleys 31 33 and by adjusting the differential gearing F.

.The movement of the wheels 9 to carry the machine forward in transporting it from place to place is effected from the Shaft 29, which carries al sprocket-wheel 43, from which a sprocket-chain 44 extends to a sprocket-wheel 45 on the shaft 36, and when it is desired to transport the machine the chain 44 is set in place, the belt 32 removed,

` both clutches 38 39 being shifted to connect While any the shaft 36 with the shaft 37, and the shaft 36 will therefore be driven at a higher speed than when driven through the shafts 34 35, the machine being steered by means of the steering wheel or lever 11 and by means of the front wheels, as before.

Motion is transmitted to the upper shaft 24 ofthe excavating apparatus so as to carry the forward portions of the chains upward. suitable gearing may intervene between the driving-shaft 29 and the shaft gear with the driving mechanism without arresting the movement of the engine and the speed increased or reduced within certain limits by shifting the transmission-gear by means of its adjusting-lever 121.

It will be seen that the lower end of the frame sup ortin the excavating means is projected orwar and as a result the unexcavated portion of the earth overhangs the excavating apparatus, so that as the articles of earth become detached they will fldll upon and be broken up by the excavating appliances and will ass into the buckets or liftingblades carried by the chains.

Preferably the chains carry buckets or blades 56 and spurs or teeth 57, the latter tending to break up the earth, and the buckets receive the particles, and I also secure upon the shaft 22 excavating-wheels G, havlngteeth which preferably extend beyond the spurs and buckets and which serve to break up the earthy material and reduce it to acondition to fall in or be scooped up by the buckets. To secure most effective actron, each bucket is rovided with a detachable blade 221, whic may have one or more projections. As shown, some have a central projection 123, while others have two side projections 122. The wheels G have detach- IOO able teeth 124, connected in any suitable manner to bearings of the wheels. As shown, each tooth 124 has a radial shank bolted to a lugA of the Wheel-body and a curved and pointed end which will readily penetrate and break up the hard earth. j

While the parts of the excavatin apparatus may be differently constructe and arranged, there is a`series of chains 55 carried by sprocket-pulleys 59 on the shaft'24 and 61 on the shaft 22, and the excavating-wheels G are arranged intermediate the sprockets 59. I prefer also to arrange excavating-wheels H upon shafts 23, which turn in bearings at a higher level than the shaft 22 and project outward at each side to support supplemental serres of chains 62, which pass to sprocketwheels on the shaft 24, so that the supplemental excavating chains and devices do not excavate to so eat a depth as those at the center, which acilitates the excavating of IIO ter ofthe material operated upon.

With the excavating means there may be employed any suitable appliances for conducting to one side the material excavated. As shown, the frame B carries rollers 64 65, receiving a conveyer-belt 66, which may be supported by idlers 67 68, the rollers preferably being concave, so as to impart a dished form to the belt, which. better enables it to hold the material, theI rollers being so positioned that the belt will travel transversely of the machine andbelow the top of the excavating'devices, so that the material discharged fram the latter will fall onto the belt. To pro erly direct the said material as it falls from t e buckets, I make use of a shelf I, ar-

ranged so that the material which dropsl from the buckets will first pass onto the shelf and will then be deiiected rearwardly onto the conveyer. The shelf is inclined to insure the discharge of the materialI from it tothe conveyer; but the inclination issuch that a certain portion of the material will remain-u on the shelf, thereby reventin the wear o the metal which would result the material fell directly upon the shelf and immediately passed therefrom and also reducing the noise which would lresult' if the falling material struck the shelf instead of the body of material on the shelf.' The an lar pos'ltion of the shelf will depend upon t e charac- A shield 69, of any suitab e material, extends over the excavatingapparatus at the upper dpart as a guard and is prolonged or extende to form aguard 71,. preventing the material from being thrown beyond the shelf, while a plate or guard 72 at the op osite side is arranged to prevent the materia from being thrown beyond the oppositeedge of the conveyer.

' he conveyer-belt is maintained taut by mounting the shaft of theroller 64in bearings 7 3', which may be carried outward by means of screws 74 or other adjusting devices. i The conveyor-belt may be driven from the-shaft 29 in any suitable manner; but, as'shown, a counter-shaft 79, at right angles to the main shaft 29, carries a sprocket-wheel 80 and a bevel-gear 75, engaging abevelinion 76 on a shaft 77, which is driven throng the medium of'a belt 78 from the shaft 29, and the shaft 79 also carries a sprocket-wheel 125, from which a chain extends to a sprocket-Wheel 126 on the shaft of the roller 65.

' In some cases it is desirable to ca the material to a greater extent beyond the slde of the ap aratus than the position 'of the roller 65, and) to effect this I make use of a jointed frame J, carryin additional rollers 99 and 81. The roller 99 is -riven from the shaft 79 by a sprocket-chain and sprocket-wheels. To support the frame J in its position, I make use of truss-rods 82, extending from the frame to the adjacent standards 21, turnbuckles 83`for securing minor adjustments, the standards being suitably braced.

In order to bring the machine up to a levelin case the bearing-surface is of such an irregular character as to tilt it to one side, I provide any suitable means whereby a portion ofthe excavated material may be thrown onto the ound in front of the lower wheel, so that w en the latter travels upon the material so deposited it will befraised. To this end I make use of two conduits 131', each of which extends to a position to discharge the material in front of one `of the wheels 9, and the upper end of the conduit is arranged to receive a portion of the material raised by the elevator and discharged toward the conveyers. Any suitable means for directing the material to the conduits may be employed; but, as shown, each conduit extends to one end ofthe shield I and is expanded to lthe funnel-shape illustrated in dotted lines,

Fig. 3. Above .the mouth of the funnel is pivoted a win shown'at full Iines, Fig. 4, will deflect any material that falls upon the same onto the conveyer 66,'but in the position shown in dotted lines will deflect the material into the conduit, This wing may be shifted inA any suitable way, as by means of a rod 1.34, extending rearwardto a osition to be manipulated by the operator o the machine. A grid 133, which in the position or screen 135, consisting of parallel wires 4or an open mesh, maybe extended above the mouth o the conduit to prevent the entrance of pieces so large as to become wedged therein.

It will be evident that while I have shown certain arrangements of gearing for the purpose of driving the different parts from the motor the construction and arrangement of these features may be varied to a great extent, and it will also be evident that different forms of excavating devices may be employed while securing the advantages of the main features of my invention.

It will be seen that by the use of the apparatus havin the general features described it `isy possibIe to make excavations under varying conditions of topography and earth compositions by merely varyin the adjustments and speed of operation o the parts so as to secure a maximum speed and efficiency at a minimumconsumption of energy and expense; that the machine can'in many 1nsingle operator who can control both the IOO speed of the excavating device and the feed of the machine, and that by undercuttin in excavating the material excavated wil to a great extent fall by gravity into the buckets, avoiding the waste of energy requisite in excavatlng and lifting the material or detaching it from its fixed formation, and that by the alternate arrangement of excavating-wheels with sprockets and chains with digging cups and spurs the excavating operations are greatly facilitated.

Without limiting myself-to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown, I claim as my invention- 1. The combination in an excavating a paratus, of a frame, wheels su porting tlife same, and a second frame exten ing over the first and su porting the Working parts and ivoted on t e front axle of the running-gear ame to permit the forward end of the su portin -frame to be raised and lowered, t e pivota point being about midway of the wei ht of the frame and apparatus, substantialy as set forth. t

2. The combination with Athe running-gear frame of an excavating apparatus, of a frame supporting the excavating and driving means and above and pivoted to ,the running-gear frame so as to be counterbalanced on opposite sides of the pivotal point, with means whereby the upper frame may be tilted and secured in position, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the running-gear frame, of a frame supporting the driving and excavating means, horizontally pivoted to the runningear frame, and the excavating means provi ed with an inclined frame projecting downward and forward at the lower end, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the running-gear frame, of a frame supporting the driving and excavating means, horizontally pivoted to the runningear frame, and the excavating means provi ed with an inclined frame proj ecting downward and forward at the lower end and carrying a series of chains Iwith excavating appliances, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with the frame of an excavating apparatus, of an excavating device consisting of an inclined frame projecting for- Ward at its lower end and downward below the main frame, and carrying a series of endless chains and excavating devices, with excavating-wheels arranged between the chains, substantially as set forth.

6I The combination vin an excavating device, of a central portion and side portions, the latter constructed and arranged t0 excavate at a less depth than the central portion, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with the supportingframe of an excavating ap aratus, of shafts 22, 23 carr 'ng sprocket-w eels, excavating chains an a p iances supported by the sprocket-wheells, and other chains and excavating appliances arranged at the sides of the first to excavate to a less depth than the vfirst, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination with the main frame and inclined excavatin -frame with its chains and buckets, of a shieid extending over the upper portion of the excavating substantially as set forth.

9. The combination with the main frame and excavating chains and buckets, of a conveyer extendin transversely of the apparatus, and an incliner? shelf arran ed to receive the material discharged from tie excavating devices and to discharge it onto the conveyer, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination with the main frame and excavating chains and buckets, of a conveyer extendin transversely of the apparatus, an inclined she f arranged to receive the material discharged from the excavating devices andfto discharge it onto the conveyer, anda guard 71, substantially as set forth.`

11. The combination with the main frame and excavating chains and buckets, of a conveyerextendin transverselyoftheapparatus, an inclined she f arranged to receive the material discharged from the excavating devices and to discharge it onto the conveyer, and guards 71 and 72, substantially as set forth.

12. The combination with the main frame and working appliances of an excavating apparatus, of a running-gear frame provided appliances,

. with axles and wheels, the rear axle ivoted to the frame and provided with a toot ed arc, and a hand-shaft having a pinion engaging said arc, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination with the runninggear frame and the main frame pivoted thereto and carrying the operating arts of an excavating apparatus, of screw-s afts connected to but turning in the running-gear frame and passing through nuts upon the main frame and geared to turn together, substantially as set forth. v

14. The combination with the runninggear frame and the main frame pivoted thereto and carrying the operating arts of an excavating apparatus, of screw-s afts connectedto but turning in the vrunning-gear frame and passing through pivoted nuts .upon the main 'frame and geared to turn together,

. whereby the main frame and the excavating apparatus thereon is adjusted to excavate to the desired vertical grade-lines, substantially as set forth.

15. The combination with the wheel-supported frame and operating .devices of an excavating apparatus, of means whereby a por- IOO IIO

tion of the material excavated may be disto receive aportion of the material. excavated charved in front of either of the forward andeach extending to a position in front of whes, for the urpose set forth. one of the front wheels, and wings adjustable I 5 16. The com ination withy the wheel-supi to permit or revent the material from being 5 ported frame and excavating and elevatin received by t e conduits, substantially as Set devices of an excavator, of conduits arrange forth. g

to receive a portion of the material excavated In testimony whereofl I affix my signature and each extending to a position in front of in presence of two witnesses.

the front wheels, substantially as set forth. JAMES K. SWEENY. 1o 17. The combination with the wheel-sup- Witnesses:

' Sorted frame and excavating and elevatin WM. L. HARTMAN,

evices of an excavator, of conduits arrange C. A. BALLREICH. 

